Chapter Seven

                      

Someone repeatedly shook me by the shoulders. I sighed in response to it. I didn’t want any unnecessary stress at this point, but this person wouldn’t stop.

 I turned sideways in frustration. “Go away. I want to sleep,” I said dryly.

 “No sleep on the first day of school. Come on, get up!” The girl snapped.

 I quickly opened my eyes, as my heart raced. If I did something wrong, I could get punished. And…

 “Susan, breathe. It’s just me,” the voice sounded.

 My eyes flicked to the voice, and I watched as Bethany looked at me in panic. I swallowed hard. It was just Bethany. There was no-one trying to harm me here. I was safe.

 “I… You shouldn’t have done that. You scared me so much,” I said quietly.

 Bethany smiled at me sadly. “You scared me too. Is this your first time of staying away from home? There is nothing to worry about. I wouldn’t let anything happen to you, roomie. Plus, the students are harmless here. They would do nothing to you. We are a tight bunch,” she said with a smile.

 I nodded. “I guess I’m just not used to people waking me up that way,” I lied smoothly.

 She got up from the bed, and moved easily across the room to her dresser. She had a blue rope over her body, that accentuated her curves. She wasn’t slim in the least, and she wasn’t fat either. She was perfect. I watched as she grabbed her makeup kit.

 “It’s ok. I won’t get into your space, so you don’t get the panic attack. But, you really need to freshen up. It’s your first day of school, and you can’t afford to be late.” She informed me sternly.

 I swallowed hard. She was right. I jumped out of bed, and then, quickly ran to the bath which Bethany told me was 3 rooms down from our space.

 It gave me zero joys that I would have to leave the safety of my room to bath three rooms down. I would need a piece of outfit that would hide me from piercing eyes. Yes, everyone said that this was the girls’ hostel, but I wasn’t still comfortable with showcasing my body. 

 The bath was quick. I had gone in, meeting just three girls, but when I came out, the stall was jammed up. I rushed out of there, without greeting anyone, and went into my room. 

 Bethany was done. She sat down on the bed, animatedly pressing her phone. Her style was so chic. A button hat, and a blue and white button outfit. I wish I had something as beautiful as that, but I didn’t.

 I took my hands off her clothes, and moved to my unpacked clothes. I would have to unpack them when I get back. The late night journey had left me woozy. I selected a green cashmere, and wide khaki pants. It was an odd combination, but it came out nicely. Sprinkling a dose of powder on my face, for that clear skin, I did a soft twirl.

 “I’m glad you love School,” Bethany said.

 I rolled my eyes. “You talk like a grandma,” I teased.

 She thew her sweater at me, but she was laughing too. I was so glad that we had this sort of interactions between us. It’s nice to see at least one person care for me. Ok, that’s a stretch. But, the normal way she spoke to me delighted me so much. I enjoyed it, and I hoped that it would never change.

 I tossed the dress back to her, and we both laughed at how childish and silly we were. I grabbed my bag, and stuffed it with the books I would be needing today.

 “Ok, we still have some time. I think I should take you around the campus, so you can get a feel of what this is about,” she said softly.

 I shook my head. “I don’t know... I don’t like to sightsee,” I said softly.

 She linked her hands with mine. “That’s because you haven’t gotten the best tour guide yet,” she teased.

 I smiled at her. “Le’s see what you can be able to do then,” I said calmly.

≠

This place was a dream, and it was wild and broad. There was no limit to its space, and the forest behind the tress were lush, and haunting. I realised then why the students were in their rooms at night.

 “Look at that,” Bethany pulled my attention to the small camp house at the side.

 I looked at her inquisitively. “That’s where we relax when life decides to throw lemons our way,” she said with a laugh. 

 “With hot boys,” a voice spoke.

 We all turned to see a girl with braids on clear white skin. She was wearing a jumper, and smiling like she couldn’t believe she met us. I almost felt like a celebrity, though I didn’t know who she was. 

 “That’s right, Lily,” Brittany said with a laugh.

 There was a light banter in the air, and I caught myself laughing at what the girls said, and soon, I was on my way to my first class with them.

 The class had a form of rectangular shape, but it was alluring. I wondered how father Antoine had the money to send me to such a big school. Something told me that the fee would have cost a lot of money. And, I really liked the sound of that.

 Our teacher introduced himself, as Mr Williams. He made me introduce myself since I was a new student. I had no qualms doing that because my mood had really soared.

 The students cheered at me, and soon, I was at my seat. Maths was a breeze, but still, I needed to learn somethings on my own later. You can never be too sure about it. Maybe, I and Bethany would go over them. The thought made me smile.

 Soon, the lecture was over, and I was outside. I was listening intently to what Lily was telling us, when a strong hand pulled me backwards. I looked up to see Tyler staring at me.